Wednesday, January 09, 2008

A January 4, 2008, Saskatchewan Party government news release stated that ministry officials with Saskatchewan Enterprise and Innovation sent out over 300 invitations to Saskatchewan organizations inviting them to put forward nominees to the Board of Enterprise Saskatchewan.

The news release said further that: “The Board will be driven by the main sectors of our economy and tasked with identifying barriers to growth, and developing economic goals and targets for the province.”

“We also want to ensure stakeholders have an opportunity to nominate an individual to the Board, as well as ensure we have a transparent, open and accountable process in place,” [Enterprise and Innovation Minister Lyle] Stewart said.

The closing date for nominations is January 31, 2008. Organizations must receive an invitation in order to submit a nomination.

What Stewart didn’t explain is why more than 50 organizations received two invitations and whether that means they will be allowed to submit more than one nomination.

At present the Saskatchewan Party government’s nomination process does not seem fair. Many organizations received just one invitation while many have been excluded outright with no apparent opportunity to appeal.

Of the 303 invitations sent out by the ministry 56 went to 28 Regional Economic Development Authorities (REDA) and two went to both the Saskatchewan Economic Development Association and Western Economic Diversification. Why the federal government is involved is a bit of a mystery and a reasonable question to ask.

The ministry news release said that municipal governments were sent invitations but none seem to be named on the list. Also absent are the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) and Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM).

It appears at least 95 invitations, nearly one third of all those sent, went to aboriginal organizations.

Various Chambers of Commerce were sent 14 invitations with two of those going to the provincial office. While the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) received one the North Saskatoon Business Association (NSBA) and Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP) did not.

Outdistanced by business, industry and economic development authorities was organized labour who received approximately 29 invitations. It appears that the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses (SUN) was omitted.

Premier Brad Wall’s hometown of Swift Current certainly wasn’t forgotten. Action Swift Current and the Swift Current Chamber of Commerce along with the Southwest Centre for Entrepreneurial Development received invitations while the Southwest REDA where Wall once worked got two.

2 Comments:

So women are guaranteed a grand total of two nominations. Big fucking w00t! What about the transition houses and safe shelters? What about the YWCAs? What about the Business and Professional Women? What about the rural women's organizations? Hell, even the Ladies Aid societies of the churches know a thing or two about what they need in terms of economics in their communities!